By: Datuk Teddy Chin
THE hottest topic in Sabah right now, I think, is who will be the next Governor (TYT) when Tun Juhar’s term expires at the end of the year.
Even that, it is assuming that his term will not be renewed, be it for another two years or the full term of four years.
If it’s renewed, Juhar will be the longest serving TYT Sabah has seen.
Even as it is, he is already the longest serving. This is because a TYT is not supposed to serve more than two terms or eight years total. That had been the arrangement since Malaysia came into being in 1963.
The late Tun Mustapha, Tun Pengiran Raffae, Tun Fuad Stephens, Tun Hamdan Abdullah, Tun Suffian Koroh, Tun Adnan Robert, Tun Said Keruak, Tun Sakaran, Tun Ahmad Shah, nobody served more than eight years.
However, the Warisan+ State Government under Shafie Apdal amended the Constitution (in 2019 I think) so that the TYT can serve more than two terms or indefinitely.
Some define this as meaning “TYT For Life”. This is both right and wrong. Commonsense will tell us that no Sabah Governor is expected to serve for life.
The most is perhaps another term or two beyond the original two terms.
Only a Ruler or Sultan in West Malaysia serves for life and replaced by their next of kin when he dies or steps down.
In Juhar’s case, he was first appointed Governor in 2011 and renewed for another four years on 1.1.2015. Under ordinary circumstances, his tenure would have ended on 31.12.2018.
But the then Warisan+ Government amended the Constitution so that Juhar served the historic third term or another four years.
Dec 31 2022 would have been his last day but the new Chief Minister Hajiji through the Prime Minister and King extended him for two years instead of four, something unprecedented in Sabah’s history.
Why? That you have to ask the Chief Minister or the Prime Minister or the Agong. When Juhar’s term was extended by only two years, all sorts of rumours arose.
Among them was Hajiji himself would want to be Governor come 31.12.2024 and hand over the Chief Ministership to whoever, but popularly believed to be his trusted lieutenant Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun. The rumours gathered steam in recent weeks owing to the “expose” by a so-called Whistleblower on alleged corruption by some GRS assemblymen.
Will this happen? We will know. If it doesn’t, then only two possibilities – either Juhar’s term will be further extended or there will a new Governor. Let’s assume that it will be a new TYT.
Who shall it be? As usual, Sabah is never short of soothsayers or “Nujum Pak Belalang” made famous by the P. Ramlee old movies. These soothsayers have a list of potential candidates.
Let’s start with a serving politician with a government post. They say that Finance Minister Masidi may be the one in view of his age (he is older than Hajiji).
Masidi who is GRS Secretary-General and PGRS Deputy President has always been viewed as Hajiji’s No.2 and successor-in-waiting so that there is also rumour saying he will eventually replace Hajiji as CM.
Will it happen (Masidi becoming TYT or CM)? Let just wait and see. Dec 31 is not that far away. Of course, a few other names have surfaced as possible new TYT.
Among them are former Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman, former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussein, former State Secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman and present State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Safar Untong.
Even former Berjaya Finance Minister and current SAPP Advisor Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Noor Mansoor’s name was mentioned.
Also, former Chief Minister and PBS founder and Huguan Siou Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the first non-Muslim TYT.
The secretary-general of KDCA (unofficially the Huguan Siou’s seat) has for the second time running (first time was 2 years ago) lobbied for the KDCA president Pairin to be the Governor.
Their argument is that the Constitution had been amended so that the King or Agong is now the head of the Islamic religion in States without a Ruler/Sultan and that includes Sabah.
Since Merdeka in 1963, the Sabah TYT had been the head of the Islamic religion in Sabah.
Then more recently an NGO in Penampang recommended former Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Richard Malanjun.
Richard is now with the United Nations as Ombudsman or something like that. Anyone who becomes TYT will be conferred the Tunship when he is appointed.
But in Malanjum’s case he is already a Tun, the first Sabahan who is not a TYT to carry the title.
Except that there are two classes of the Tunship, just like there are two classes of the Tan Sriship.
The First Class Tunship is normally reserved for Governor and above, ex-PMs, foreign dignitaries and so on.
Assuming that Malanjum’s Tunship is Second Class, he will be elevated to First Class if he becomes TYT. For argument’s sake, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is also qualified to be TYT. Just like Pairin, he was CM (although not as long). He was a Federal Minister twice (Pairin was never one).
And the icing on the cake is he was the first Sabahan (and a Kadazan and Catholic at that) to be Malaysia’s first Resident Ambassador to the Holy See at Vatican.
Will the CM or PM or King allow a non-Muslim to be TYT although the Constitution has been amended?
Is that reason alone strong enough? It will be a very difficult decision to make for the CM.
Although the appointment is in the Agong’s name with the blessings of the Prime Minister, everybody knows that the recommendation comes from the State Government through the Chief Minister.
I don’t want to be in Hajiji’s shoes right now. If he chooses Pairin/Malanjun/Dompok, of course the Kadazans/Dusuns/Muruts/Rungus will be happy.
But will other people be happy? Since 1963, the TYT has always been a Muslim. Even though the Constitution has been amended, it has been the case since Merdeka.
Either way, or whatever decision he makes, there will be unhappy people. You can’t please everybody. If you please A, B will be unhappy. That’s why I said I don’t want to be in Hajiji’s shoes right now. But whatever it is, a decision has to be made and I believe Hajiji with his wide experience of over 30 years in politics will make a wise decision.
It will be foolish if he is accused of not being pro-KDM if a KDM is not chosen as the TYT. He has Dusun blood and his wife is a Dusun Lotud.
If we look at the history of Sabah, there were quite a few KDM as TYT bah, beginning with Fuad (the former Donald Stephens), then Hamdan (the former Indan Kari), Ahmad Koroh, and Adnan Robert. At that time, the TYT was also the Head of the Islamic religion in Sabah.
Although the Constitution has been amended, it is still not a must that the new TYT be a non-Muslim. Unlike the Colonial Governor who was the law, the post-Malaysia Governor post is largely ceremonial. The TYT is a symbol of unity for Sabahans. ‘Payung’ as Malay says. One must understand that the role of a TYT is largely ceremonial and most if not all of the ceremonies not just in the Sabah palace but also in Melaka and Penang go hand in hand with Islam which is our official religion.
I don’t think Melaka and Penang will have a non-Muslim as TYT.
To have a non-Muslim as TYT may be legally correct but politically wrong by some quarters.
There is such a thing called Palace Protocol. Either way, there will be unhappy people but a decision has to be made and once a decision is made let’s respect it and abide by it.
I know that people trying to promote Pairin/Malanjun to be the TYT will be unhappy with what I write.
My experience as a reporter before tells me that no matter how you write, there will be unhappy people, accusing you of this, of that.
So be it. I am a Sino and my wife is a Dusun or Kadazan if you like. I was once a Committee Member of the Tanjung Aru KCA.
A former Sabah DCM once said and I quote: “I wasn’t born to please anybody.” Before I conclude let’s come back to the potential candidates for TYT.
If you look at the list, the front runners are undoubtedly Musa and Pairin, both former Chief Ministers.
Pairin was CM for about 9 years and Musa was the longest serving Sabah CM – 15 years.
For the reasons I have stated above, I would put my money on Musa. But let’s not jump the gun. Let the official announcement come from Istana Negara, expected the last few days of the year.
The last day of Juhar as TYT is Dec 31.
Normally the new Governor would receive his Instrument of Appointment say by Dec 30 and would return to Sabah the next day to be sworn-in at Istana Sabah on 1.1.2025.
Normally the outgoing TYT will leave the Istana a day or two before the new Governor comes in.
Now remember, this is only my Ramalan ah, and I am trying not to become a sooth sayer.
Meaning I may be wrong. So don’t put words into my mouth. If you lose betting that’s your business.
Which reminds me of an incident in the final days of 1994 when a new Chief Minister was sworn-in.
While we were at the Istana having tea after the ceremony, my friend’s phone rang.
Sometime who has just arrived at the KK airport from KL asked for his money because he had won the ‘bet’ as according to him his ‘Kuda’ was on his way to the Istana to be sworn-in.
My friend said: “Kau gila kah, kau tahu saya dimana kah sekarang dan siapa baru angkat sumpah?’.
I rest my case.
(This article has appeared in the Daily Express)
Editor: The views expressed here are the exclusive views of the writer.
